Sadistic cat slasher terrorises Gympie neighbourhood

DISTRESSED: Mother and daughter Elenka and Breeanna Parkin are in despair over sickening animal cruelty acts in their neighborhood. INSET: Socks recovering after having his hind leg removed.Frances Klein

BROKEN bones, slit throats and lead poisoning - it's the sickening stuff of a "Pet Semetary" remake and it's happening in one Gympie street.

For six months mother and daughter Elenka and Breeanna Parkin have watched in despair as their three pet cats have succumbed to a number of inexplicable and horrific injuries in their quiet part of Southside.

The horror began when Socks, Ms Parkin's young Siamese cross, was struck so badly by something while outside the yard, his back leg bone was broken in three places and left protruding.

His leg and hip bone needed to be surgically removed, Ms Parkin said, with the vet suggesting the injuries were suspicious.

On the same day, one of the family chickens was found with its throat slit.

The mother of five, who hears meows of distress from the direction of one neighbour, said injuries to pet cats in the neighbourhood were mounting - with Socks now hobbling from another leg injury and another cat showing the symptoms of lead poisoning.

Socks the cat lost his leg in am unexplained attack.Breeanna Parkin

Chillingly large chunks of cat hair have been left wedged on letterboxes in the street, one resembling a whole tail.

"A neighbour said three of her cats' necks have been slashed."

"We've had to resort to locking every animal in," Mrs Parkin said adding to the distress.

"My Duchess is that stressed and that depressed I don't know whether to put her down."

The emotional effect on the family was taking its toll.

CREEPY: A large clump of cat hair thought to be stuffed onto a letterbox.Breeanna Parkin

"I feel very mentally disturbed and distressed," Mrs Parkin said in tears.

"I'm sitting up constantly at night just keeping an eye out.

"I just want a normal life."

Mrs Parkin said she has made multiple phone calls to police, Gympie Regional Council and the RSPCA, but feels like nobody wants to take responsibility for the problem.

RSPCAs Michael Beatty said the RSPCA had investigated the complaints but a lack of concrete evidence meant the situation could not be acted on.

He urged everyone to contain their cats; particularly at night.

The Gympie Regional Council said if residents were experiencing problems with roaming cats, they can contact the council for options in addressing the situation, which includes trapping.

"The animal must not be injured or mistreated during this process," a council spokeswoman said.